Highstoke Pty Ltd v Hayes Knight GTO Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 13

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Highstoke Pty Ltd v Hayes Knight GTO Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 13

CORPORATIONS – compulsory examination – power to issue summons for examination – no application to examinable affairs of corporation not under external administration – no power in ASIC to authorise application for such a summons – if purported power so extends unconstitutional conferral of administrative function on Court CONSTITUTIONAL LAW – judicial power – administrative function – not able to be characterised as judicial not incidental to the exercise of any judicial power – power to issue summons for examination with respect to examinable affairs of corporation – corporation not under external administration – not subject to any other relevant judicial process under Ch 5 of Corporations Act – purported conferral of power invalid Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) s 596A, s 596B, s 9, s 53, s 283AC(2), s 283AE(2) Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) s 11 Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) s 13 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 78B Hayes Knight GTO Pty Ltd v Australian Securities & Investments Commission [2005] FCA 1509 cited Gould v Brown (1998) 193 CLR 346 cited Re Greys Brewery Company (1883) 2 Ch D 400 cited Re Gold Company (1879) 12 Ch D 77 cited Re Csidei; Ex parte Andrew (1979) 39 FLR 387 cited Ex parte Barnes (1896) AC 146 cited Re Rolls Razor Ltd [1968] 3 All ER 698 cited Hamilton v Oades (1989) 166 CLR 486 cited Re Hugh J Roberts Pty Ltd (1970) 91 WN (NSW) 537 cited Rothwells Ltd (No 2) (1989) 7 ACLC 576 cited New South Wales v Commonwealth (1990) 169 CLR 482 cited Re Compass Airlines Pty Ltd (1992) 35 FCR 446 cited HongKong Bank of Australia Ltd v Murphy (1992) 28 NSWLR 512 cited New Zealand Steel (Australia) Pty Ltd v Burton (1994) 13 ACSR 610 cited Grosvenor Hill (Qld) Pty Ltd v Barber (1994) 48 FCR 301 cited Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally (1999) 198 CLR 511 cited Evans v Wainter Pty Ltd (2005) 145 FCR 176 cited Flanders v Beatty (1995) 16 ACSR 324 cited Sandhurst Trustees Ltd v Harvey (2004) 88 SASR 519 cited HongKong Bank of Australia Ltd v Australian Securities Commission (1992) 40 FCR 402 cited Mercantile Mutual Life Insurance Co Ltd v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 40 FCR 409 cited Re Excel; Worthley v England (1994) 52 FCR 69 cited Burns Philp & Co Ltd v Murphy (1993) 29 NSWLR 7232 cited Huddart Parker & Co Pty Ltd v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330 cited R v Kirby; Ex parte Boilermakers' Society of Australia (1956) 94 CLR 254 cited Re Tracey; Ex parte Ryan (1989) 166 CLR 518 cited Pioneer Concrete (Vic) Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1982) 152 CLR 460 cited Re Monadelphous Engineering Associates (NZ) Ltd (in liq); ex parte McDonald and Watson (1989) 7 ACLC 220 cited Friedrich v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd [1990] VR 995 cited Spratt v Hermes (1965) 114 CLR 226 cited Capital TV and Appliances Pty Ltd v Falconer (1971) 125 CLR 591 cited Spinks v Prentice (1998) 87 FCR 89 cited Re Governor, Goulburn Correctional Centre; Ex parte Eastman (1999) 165 ALR 171 cited North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Inc v Bradley (2002) 122 FCR 204 cited Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Munro (1926) 38 CLR 153 cited Cominos v Cominos (1972) 127 CLR 588 cited R v Quinn; Ex parte Consolidated Foods Corporation (1977) 138 CLR 1 cited Dalton v New South Wales Crime Commission (2006) 226 ALR 570 cited